Security and asset management systems are used to monitor homes and businesses to prevent unwanted intrusions as well as to guard against natural disasters. Such systems control entry and egress to structures as well as areas within the structures. In early security systems, keys were required for entry into protected buildings. In more recent systems, however, access is attained using identity devices which interact with an access control device, such as a reader, operating in conjunction with a control panel which permits or denies access to users based on identification or authorization. These systems generally employ either a passive device, like a proximity card, or an active device, like an RFID tag, to identify and/or authenticate users of the system. A user can present his or her device to an access control device, and the user's device can initiate the authentication procedure. In the alternative, an access control device can initiate authorization or entry verification by searching for a valid user device.
An access control device which searches for a valid user device is disclosed in UK
Patent Application 2,417,858, Access Control Device Using Mobile Phones for Automatic Wireless Access with Secure Codes and Biometrics Data. This application discloses an access control device that uses an automatic process of authentication based on secret encrypted codes determined with a rolling time-based encryption algorithm. In at least one embodiment, automatic search and detection of credentials from an authorized user carrying a mobile telephone having a valid access code is performed by a dedicated Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) in the entry access controller. In another embodiment, user credentials are passed from a user's mobile telephone as short message service (SMS) to the SIM of the entry access controller via standard communication channels such as Bluetooth® telecommunication services. This system requires usage of a dedicated SIM card at the controller to implement the encryption algorithm and store encrypted codes.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0143051, Mobile Authentication/Financial Transaction System Using a Unique Mobile Identification Code and Method Thereof discloses a mobile authentication and financial transaction system using a unique mobile identification code wherein admission control and/or a variety of financial transactions are performed on the basis of call information transmitted by a mobile communication terminal. The unique identification code can be a “peculiar mobile identity code” or a combination of the registered telephone number and an electronic serial number. All embodiments disclosed in this application use mobile frequency and the telecommunication system for communication.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,436, Vehicle Tracking System Using Cellular Network, discloses a vehicle tracking system that uses existing cellular network infrastructure. A locating cellular transceiver is placed in a vehicle and the transceiver's Electronic Serial Number (ESN) is registered. If the vehicle is stolen, the ESN is used to determine the general location of the vehicle; its precise location is established using a radio direction finder which is tuned to the voice channel of the cellular transceiver. Thus, a cellular network of a telecommunication system or paging system is necessary to identify and to track vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,739, Access Control System, discloses a mobile transponder with an authorization code for providing access to the user. The system provides access based on a comparison of a person's biometric characteristics with biometric data stored in memory. However, it does not overcome the problem of requiring a special device, the mobile transponder, for identification and/or authorization. Further, the transponder does not allow identification and/or authentication of the user for emergency situations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,411, Anti-Theft Method for a Vehicle Using a Portable Telephone, discloses using the International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMEI) of a mobile telephone as an element of a vehicle anti-theft method. To start a vehicle, a user puts his portable telephone into a fastener element. The telephone then compares its ESN or IMEI number with the one that is stored at a location in the fastener element. If the numbers match, the vehicle can be started. However, all processing or matching or authentication is performed in the telephone using the fastener element only as a conduit. Further, the mobile telephone must initiate identification or authorization of a user; the fastener element cannot search for an identification device.
Among the problems of the aforementioned systems are the necessity for telecommunication systems for communication, and specific devices, such as SIM cards built into the control apparatus. If devices other than mobile telephones are used as user identifiers, the devices, such as RFID tags, have range and battery life limitations, and also have extra costs for maintenance. Further, a user of the security system must produce his or her specific identity device, such as an apparatus containing an RFID tag, to be identified or authenticated, necessitating that the user carry the identity device with him or her. In addition, these devices generally are not operable in case of an emergency, either for the system to identify and communicate with the user, or for the user to communicate with the system.